


to love all ancient things

by dastardlyenables



Series: (Ab)Normal Horoscopes [4]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Don't copy to another site, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 15:08:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17490224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dastardlyenables/pseuds/dastardlyenables
Summary: Kakashi tightens his scarf against the howl of the wind and hitches the woven basket up higher on his back.  The path only grows more narrow and treacherous hereon, winding up the steep rock sides of the mountain, spiraling inwards; the only indication that this is, indeed, a path at all—not the result of land swept clean by avalanche—is the faint traces of carved reliefs into the bedrock, worn away by centuries of angered nature.It is a long trek up the mountain, but it will be so worth it.





	to love all ancient things

**Author's Note:**

> Based on Normal Horoscopes prompt
> 
>  **Taurus** _The winding path up a mountain. Relief carvings hewn rfom the rock. Features worn smooth by wind and rain. The oldest figures show traces of animal forms._

Kakashi tightens his scarf against the howl of the wind and hitches the woven basket up higher on his back. The path only grows more narrow and treacherous hereon, winding up the steep rock sides of the mountain, spiraling inwards; the only indication that this is, indeed, a path at all—not the result of land swept clean by avalanche—is the faint traces of carved reliefs into the bedrock, worn away by centuries of angered nature.

He is approaching the hidden peak. Kakashi can tell by the subtle shift in each of the portraits he passes. He stumbles on an uneven patch along the path, listing away towards the edge before swinging back, a hand shooting out to catch his balance against the relief-carved wall, and his fingers brush against a figure more tanuki than man. The faded relief is gnashing it's teeth, and the freezing stone seems to warm beneath his fingertips. Kakashi hastily snatches his hand back from the wall. Further ahead, a feline woman seems to laugh at him. He grips the leather handles of his shoulder basket tightly and hurries on.

Past the ancient, square-jawed monk, back hunched by a grand tortoise shell; past the wise monkey-face man, cackling with knowing eyes. Past the warrior with a horse's great muscles, the musician's slug-like antenae peaking out from their hair as they lean over their flute, bubbles flowing from the end. A woman with dragonfly wings smirks behind her war fan and armor chiton.

The path comes to a head, a natural stone archway, with a raging sushi-on carved into it as a guardian, growling ferociously at all who would pass below. Kakashi scurries through the arch, ducking his head with a murmured prayer. The pass opens up to a miniature, cliff-like peak, surrounded by the greater ring of the mountain range shielding it away from unwanted eyes. There is a _hokora_ at the apex. Ancient stone, covered in snow and moss. Curled around its base is a nine-tailed kitsune, snout rippled back and frozen in a perpetual snarl.

Kakashi slings the basket down from his shoulders to kneel before the shrine. He removes a small bundle from the top, a cursory offering. There is a small cluster of nigiri and some exotic fruit brought in from the port-markets, far from here, and preserved by the cold. The offering is laid out with a perfunctory care, accompanied by a mumbled prayer, more habit than substance. Worship accomplished, Kakashi loosens the scarf around his neck and face, exhaling a small, visible puff of air, then lays both hands on the stone of the kitsune. The freezing stone begins to warm under his touch, and Kakashi digs his fingers into the softening fur. The fox shudders beneath his hands, shaking off its entombed stone shakle and in another moment, it is no fox, but a man, tumbling warm and shivering into Kakashi's arms.

"Hello, dear," Kakashi calls in warm amusement as his eyes curl into crescents, clinging tightly to the figure in his arms, "Sorry I'm late." Kurama wordlessly growls, and shivers again with the cold, and Kakashi reaches out once more to the basket and draws out a thick quilted blanket and a folded set of clothes. He draws the blanket around them both, and offers out the simple wrap tunic and pants to icicles-fingers. Kurama slides into them eagerly, before lunging forward an tackling Kakashi to the snow-covered ground of the path, wrapped together tightly under the blanket. Kurama smirks down at him, and nuzzles his nose to loosen Kakashi's scarf further and tuck it into the warmth of his neck.

"Mmm, missed you."

Kakashi hums, then reaches up to dig his fingers into the thick red hair, and draw Kurama up into a kiss. 


End file.
